Watan-The International Amnesty Organization stated that the Jordanian authorities must put an end to the widespread repression campaign, which witnessed the arrest of hundreds of individuals by security forces and intelligence elements since last October due to their expression of support for the rights of Palestinians in Gaza or criticism of the government’s policies towards Israel.
According to a report issued by the organization, at least 1000 individuals – including protesters and bystanders – were arrested during pro-Gaza protests in the Jordanian capital, Amman, within one month between October and November last year.
At least five others were arrested between November and December last year, and they were charged under the new Electronic Crimes Law issued in August 2023 due to posts on social media expressing support for Palestinians, criticizing peace treaties or economic agreements concluded by the authorities with Israel, or calling for general strikes and protests.
Repressive Campaign in Jordan
Diana Semaan, the researcher on Jordanian affairs at the International Amnesty Organization, said: “No one should be arrested or prosecuted merely for expressing their opinions on the war in Gaza or criticizing their government’s policies.”
She added that the Jordanian authorities had launched a repressive campaign, relying on highly restrictive legislation such as the Electronic Crimes Law, to eliminate the remaining traces of freedom and opposition, and unfairly directed vague charges against individuals for merely exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
She continued: “The Jordanian authorities must immediately release all those arbitrarily arrested and/or convicted for exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and drop the charges against them. They must also amend the Electronic Crimes Law for 2023 to comply with international standards.”
Jordanian Electronic Crimes Law
The Jordanian Electronic Crimes Law uses ambiguous, imprecise, and broad terms, criminalizing any speech that may offend law enforcement officials and limiting the possibility of anonymity online.
Documented Cases of Abuse in Jordan
The International Amnesty Organization documented cases of six political activists, five of whom were charged under the Electronic Crimes Law.
The organization conducted interviews with three lawyers and others knowledgeable about the issues, reviewed indictments and other court documents where available, as well as publications by those accused on social media.
The International Amnesty Organization also interviewed lawyers representing protesters and other individuals who were arrested in the vicinity of the protests. Most of them were charged solely with exercising their right to peaceful assembly.
Many of those released on bail were re-arrested pending trial, subjected to administrative detention, and forced by the governor to pledge not to participate in protests as a condition for their release.
The Crisis Evidence Lab, affiliated with the organization, investigated video clips showing individuals’ arrests, and reviewed statements from media outlets and Jordanian authorities regarding the ongoing repression campaign.
Trial on the Background of “Posts”
Three lawyers informed the International Amnesty Organization that since November 2023, Jordanian security forces have arrested at least six political activists due to posts on social media expressing support for Palestinians or criticizing the authorities’ policies towards Israel, and calling for general strikes and protests.
In December last year, the public prosecutor, Ayman Sunduqa, summoned a political activist and mathematics professor, Ayman Sunduqa, for interrogation regarding his call on social media to implement a general strike.
According to his lawyer, Ayman Sunduqa also published a message addressed to the king in October criticizing Jordanian-Israeli diplomatic relations. He was detained for a month for investigation, then released pending trial.
On January 24, 2024, he was sentenced to three months in prison on charges of “defaming an official entity,” but he appealed this verdict.
While Ayman Sunduqa was detained for interrogation, a prosecutor from the State Security Court summoned him and charged him under the Penal Code and the Electronic Crimes Law.
The State Security Court is a military court that does not meet international standards of neutrality and independence, often used to try civilians in violation of international law. Ayman Sunduqa is currently detained by State Security awaiting trial.
A protester arrested during pro-Palestinian protests in December stated to the International Amnesty Organization that the public prosecutor charged him under the Electronic Crimes Law after slogans were widely circulated online.
He was detained for four days before being released. His trial is still ongoing before a civilian court in Amman.
The International Amnesty Organization reviewed court documents related to three other cases of individuals convicted in civilian courts due to their posts on social media.
The documents listed charges including “incitement to sedition and sectarianism, spreading hate speech, and broadcasting, re-sending, or publishing data or information involving false news, defamation, or insulting, and defaming an official entity and publishing names or information or news related to law enforcement officials” under the Electronic Crimes Law.
One of them was released in January 2024 after serving his three-month sentence.
The other two remain behind bars serving their three-month prison sentences, issued against them in January 2024. They were not released until they signed a pledge to refrain from protesting.
Two lawyers told the International Amnesty Organization that authorities continued to arrest individuals participating in pro-Palestinian protests in Amman, but the number of arrests decreased since early December 2023.
Between October 17, 2023, and November 16, 2023, authorities arrested more than 1000 individuals, including bystanders, during pro-Gaza protests, according to the lawyers.
Among them, 700 people were referred to the Amman court on charges related to the Penal Code, such as “committing acts of violence,” “incitement to sedition,” and “damaging public property.” Most of these individuals were later released on bail pending trial. The Amman court acquitted the remaining 300 individuals.
Local governors also used the Prevention of Crimes Law of 1954 to administratively detain some suspects, detaining them without charge or trial, and they were not released on bail until they signed a document pledging to refrain from participating in protests. Jordanian law does not provide administratively detained individuals with the opportunity to appeal their detention.
Rights Guaranteed by Law
According to the law and international standards, authorities cannot demand individuals to make “commitments” to refrain from organizing or participating in “future gatherings.”
The International Amnesty Organization called on the Jordanian authorities to repeal the Prevention of Crimes Law and ensure the release of anyone arbitrarily detained or charged with a recognized crime, according to international standards.
Denial of Access to Lawyers
A lawyer from the International Amnesty Organization reported that she and other lawyers representing over ten clients who were arbitrarily arrested by intelligence services in connection with pro-Palestinian protests were detained for at least a month without being allowed to contact their families or lawyers before being released without being charged or referred to the State Security Court. She cited the case of a medical student who was detained (among many others) for 95 days after participating in a protest:
The detained protesters faced charges related to “undermining the political system” under the Penal Code. The authorities should immediately drop the charges against civilians being tried before the State Security Court solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
The authorities also prohibited protests adjacent to the borders with occupied Palestinian territories on the grounds that they posed a threat to national security.
On November 11, 2023, security forces preemptively arrested about 25 individuals who were planning to hold a sit-in near the borders for security reasons. They were all released on November 23, 2023, without being charged.